From an employer’s point of view, finding good people is a difficult and expensive process.  If a well-qualified candidate contacts them directly, it may save the effort of advertising - a bonus to the employer.

It is more professional to make direct contact by letter, rather than by going personally to the company’s personnel office to ask for a job.  There are two methods of doing this: targeted and broadcast mailing.

1. Targeted direct contact letters highlight the match between what you offer and what you have learned about a particular employer’s probable needs.  Targeted letters do not necessarily depend on an existing job opening.

2. Broadcast mailings are based on a standard form letter sent by a person with the aim to reach a large number of potential employers.  Because the odds are not good that an employer has an immediate job opening, the response rate of these mailings typically is very low.

Regardless of whether you use a “targeted” or “broadcast” letter, it must be personal, focused and creative in order to break through the “ho-hum” of most unsolicited mail.

Follow these guidelines for using direct mail:

1. Direct your letter to a hiring manager if possible. Attempt to get the name of the hiring manager by calling the company and asking for the name of the person who heads the function most likely to be interested in someone like you.

2. Do not send resume. Sending a resume increases the odds that your letter will be routinely forwarded to human resources and not to a hiring manager.

3. Demonstrate that you have done your homework on the company. Mention the trends or issues you believe are affecting or likely to affect that particular industry or function. Then, selectively include information about your background and experience that demonstrates how your knowledge or expertise might be useful.

4. Suggest a time frame when you will call the hiring manager to discuss your letter and qualifications.

5. Make the follow-up call. Explain to whatever gatekeeper you might encounter that you are following up on a commitment to contact the hiring manager.